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The Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters awarded its Abel Prize in mathematics to an American professor at New York University on Thursday. The prize honors the memory of Norwegian mathematician Niels Henrik Abel. Peter D Lax, age 78, won the prize "for his groundbreaking contributions to the theory and application of partial differential equations and to the computation of their solutions," according to the academy. The Hungarian-born professor has been called the most versatile mathematician of his generation. The academy said he has had "a profound influence" through his research, writings, a lifelong commitment to education and generosity to...